Publication DE 3932502A1describes a three-pole contactor having a switching device housing including a bottom housing part, a top housing part and a housing cover. Contact straps protrude from the top housing part on each terminal side, the ends of said contact straps being surrounded by box terminals. The metallic box terminals are composed of a clamping box, a clamping bracket, and a clamping screw. On each terminal side, the box terminals are supported in a box-shaped terminal housing. The terminal housings are attachable to the top housing part via hook-shaped projections and are provided, on the terminal side, with insertion openings for conductors to be connected and, on the front side, with access openings for a screw tool for operating the clamping screws. According to EP 880198A2, such box terminals are held via their clamping box by means of knobs on the inner walls of the terminal housing.
In a 3RT10, S3 type contactor made by the Siemens Company (company catalog no. LV10 2004 “Controlgear for Industry”, dated Aug. 26, 2003, pages 2/3, 5, 54, 98, 229), box terminals are inserted into a terminal housing toward the front side, held via their clamping boxes by means of knobs formed on the inner walls of the terminal housings, and slid from the terminal side over contact straps protruding out of a top housing part. The terminal housings can be latched to the top housing part by suitable latch means. A housing cover, which is to be attached with two screws, is placed onto the top housing part between the two terminal housings, thereby locking the terminal housings in place. In a 3RT10, S2 type contactor, also of the Siemens Company (ibid, pages 2/2, 5, 53, 97, 229), the box terminals are inserted into box terminals from the front side. The terminal housings latched to the top housing part are covered and locked in place on the front side by a housing cover which provided with access openings to the clamping screws and is to be attached to the top housing part with two screws.
DE 195 14 842A1discloses a process connector whose enclosure is composed of a base part onto which is placed a cover to complete the enclosure; the placement of the cover being carried out after a printed circuit board has been inserted. The U-shaped cover is adapted to receive a multicontact process connector. Connection elements of this type are not suitable for high currents and mechanical loads, such as occur at connecting terminals of contactors.
DE698 00 453 T2 (EP896 387B1) discloses a multipole electrical switching device having a switching device housing (not further detailed) and contact straps protruding from the terminal side thereof. Box terminals, which are received in a box-like terminal housing, have to be slid over the contact straps.
The terminal housing is attachable to the switching device housing and closable on the terminal side by a removable cover provided with cable entry openings.